Means for removably connecting a dirt collecting receptacle in a vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A structure for releasably connecting a dirt collecting receptacle of a vacuum cleaner to the outer end of an air flow duct. The connecting structure includes pivotal lever structure for selectively releasing a retained association between the dirt collecting receptacle and air duct and for urging the receptacle connector element outwardly from the duct end as a concomitant of the releasing action. The lever and fulcrum therefor may be integrally formed with the dirt collecting receptacle connector portion.

United States Patent [1 1 Friesen et al.

[4 1 Mar. 11, 1975 1 MEANS FOR REMOVABLY CONNECTING A DIRT COLLECTINGRECEPTACLE IN A VACUUM CLEANER [75] Inventors: Dale M. Friesen; Erwin E.Nordeen,

both of Saint Paul, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich.

[22] Filed: Jan. 16, 1974 [21] Appl. N0.: 433,914

2,755,106 7/1956 Brennan et al. 285/7 3,245,698 4/1966 Fromknecht 285/7FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 659,664 10/1951 Great Britain 15/351Primary Examiner-Bernard Nozick Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hofgren,Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57 ABSTRACT A structure for releasablyconnecting a dirt collecting receptacle of a vacuum cleaner to the outerend of an air flow duct. The connecting structure includes pivotal leverstructure for selectively releasing a retained association between thedirt collecting receptacle and air duct and for urging the receptacleconnector element outwardly from the duct end as a concomitant of thereleasing action. The lever and fulcrum therefor may be integrallyformed with the dirt collecting receptacle connector portion.

13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MEANS FOR REMOVABLY CONNECTING A DIRTCOLLECTING RECEPTACLE IN A VACUUM CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and inparticular to means for connecting a dirt collecting receptacle to theair duct portion of the vacuum cleaner.

2. Description of the Prior Art In one conventional form of vacuumcleaner, an upright arrangement is provided wherein a dirt collectingreceptacle conventionally comprising a flexible bag, is carried on ahandle portion of the vacuum cleaner, and includes a lower connectingportion adapted to be removably connected to the outer end of-an airflow duct adapted to discharge dirt-laden air into the dirt collectingbag. Conventionally, the lower portion of the vacuum cleaner includes amotor driven air moving means for sucking the dirt from the surface tobe cleaned and delivering the dirtladen air through the air duct to thecollecting receptacle.

Different devices have been provided heretofore for connecting the dirtcollecting bag to the air duct of the base portion of the vacuumcleaner. One such device is that shown in the D. H. Brennan et al., U.S.Letters Pat. No. 2,755,106, wherein a pivoted floating latch is providedfor the suction cleaner tube or hose coupling ofa vacuum cleaner. Asshown in that patent, the floating latch comprises a mechanism attachedto the vacuum cleaner structure by suitable attaching means. Anotherform of latching means is shown in the C. T. Fromknecht U.S. LettersPat. No. 3,245,698, wherein the latch member is secured to a tubularsection of a vacuum cleaner wand by rivets and includes a latchingshoulder 25 which engages the far side of the catch portion to maintainthe desired retained association.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improvedmeans for releasably connecting the dirt collecting receptacle ofavacuum cleaner to the outer end of the air duct means thereof includingmeans defining a downwardly facing shoulder on the duct spaced from theduct outer end, tubular means on the dirt collecting receptacle adaptedto be removably fitted about the duct outer end to provide an air flowconnection between the duct and receptacle, and means carried by thetubular means defining a lever having a first end movably disposed inretained engagement with the shoulder when the tubular means is fittedto the duct outer end, and an opposite, manipulating end. The leverdefining means further defines a fulcrum swingably mounting amid-portion of the lever to the tubular means to arrange the lever as afirst class lever whereby depression of the manipulating end of thelever swings the first end free of engagement with the shoulder topermit removal of the tubular means and dirt collecting receptacle fromthe air flow duct as for disposal of collected dirt therefrom. Thefulcrum may be disposed relative to the shoulder whereby a component ofthe force of depression of the lever manipulating portion is directedoutwardly to urge the tubular means outwardly from the duct outer end.

The invention further comprehends providing a connecting means forconnecting the dirt collecting receptacle to the duct end includingmeans defining an upwardly facing shoulder on the duct upwardly of thedownwardly facing shoulder and adapted to be engaged by the tubularmeans to limit the inward movement thereof onto the duct outer end to aposition wherein the lever first end is disposed adjacent the downwardlyfacing shoulder.

The shoulder means may be integral with the duct end, and in theillustrated embodiment, each of the duct end andtubular means of thereceptacle comprise molded synthetic resin elements wherein the shouldermeans, lever and fulcrum means are integrally formed with thecorresponding element.

In the illustrated embodiment, the dirt collecting receptacle comprisesa conventional flexible bag having the connection tubular meanssealingly secured to the lower end thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner having a dirtcollecting receptacle connection means embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation taken substantially along theline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary section illustrating in greaterdetail a portion of the structure of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment ofthe invention as disclosed in the drawing, a vacuum cleaner generallydesignated 10 illustratively comprises an upright vacuum cleaner havinga wheeled base portion 11 and an up standing handle 12. A dirtcollecting receptacle illustratively comprising a dirt collecting bag13, is carried on the upper portion 14 of the handle by a suitablespring connector 15 and includes a lower connector portion 16 adapted tobe sealingly connected to the outer end 17 of an air flow duct 18 on thebase 11.

Base 11 may be provided with a conventional motor driven air flow means(not shown) for sucking dirt from the subjacent surface to be cleanedand delivering the dirt-laden air through the duct 18 into the dirtcollecting bag 13 which traps the dirt in the conventional manner.

From time to time, the collected dirt must be removed from bag 13 and,thus, it is desirable to provide a releasable connection of the bag tothe air duct 18. The present invention comprehends an improved means foreffecting such releasable connection.

More specifically, as seen in FIGS. 2-4, duct end 17 comprises a tubularwall which, in the illustrated embodiment, may be formed of moldedsynthetic resin. A projection 19 may be provided on the duct wall spacedfrom the distal end 20 thereof. Projection 19 defines a downwardlyfacing shoulder 21 and an upwardly facing shoulder 22. Projection 19 maybe provided with a stepped portion 23 downwardly of shoulder 21 withupper shoulder 22 and stepped portion 23 being rounded, as best seen inFIG. 4.

Bag connector portion 16 comprises a tubular element having an innerconfiguration conforming to' the outer configuration of duct end 17 topermit the telescoped mounting of the connector 16 to the duct end 17,as best seen in FIG. 3. The upper end 31 of connector 16 includes aninwardly directed flange 32 which is sized to just overlie distal end 20of duct end 17 to substantially prevent collected dirt from becominglodged between distal end 17 and connector 16. At its lower end, thetubular connector means 16 may be provided with an outturned flange 24adapted to form a seat for bag 13 and rigidify the tubular end and tohave engagement with the outer shoulder 22 of duct end projection 19when the connector portion 16 is fully telescoped onto the duct end 17,as shown in FIG. 3.

An improved structure for releasably latching the connector means 16 tothe duct end is provided herein comprising a lever generally designated25 carried on tubular connector means 16, and more specifically as shownin FIG. 4, formed integrally with flange portion 24 thereof to extenddownwardly along the outer surface of duct 17 beyond projection 19 whenthe connector means 16 is installed on the duct end 17. Lever 25includes a mounting portion 26 connected to the flange 24, and a pivotfulcrum portion 27 disposed to engage the outer surface of the duct enddownwardly of projection 19 in the assembled association of theelements, as shown in FIG. 4. Lever 25 further includes a first end 29normally disposed to lie behind and engaged with shoulder 21 in thetelescoped relationship of the elements as shown in FIG. 3. The leverfurther includes a second, opposite manipulating end 30 downwardly offulcrum 27 which, when urged toward duct end surface 28, causes lever 25to act as a first class lever in moving end 29 outwardly from behindshoulder 21 and permitting upward movement of tubular connector means 16from the duct end 17. Pivot fulcrum 27, as shown in FIG. 4, ispreferably rounded to facilitate pivoting thereabout.

As shown in FIG. 4, the force F acting against the lever end 30 has acomponent F acting parallel to the surface 28 thereby urging the tubularconnector means 16 outwardly from the duct end 17 for facilitating thedisconnection of the bag from the vacuum cleaner base 11. Upon suchdisconnection, the vacuum cleaner bag may be removed from the vacuumcleaner by removal of the connecting portion from handle 12, and thecollected dirt may be disposed of in the normal manner. The bag may thenbe readily reinstalled in the vacuum cleaner by reconnecting bag supportmeans 15, and moving the tubular connector means 16 telescopically backonto duct end 17 with the lever end 29 being cammed around projection 19by the rounded shoulder 22 back to the position of FIG. 3 wherein flange24 limits the telescopic movement to position the lever end 29 behinddownwardly facing shoulder 21 thereby again latching the tubularconnector means 16 to the duct end for further use of the vacuum cleanerin the normal manner.

As the projection 19 may be integrally molded with the duct end 17 andconnecting means 25, 26, 27, 29 and 30 may be integrally molded with thetubular connector means 16, the connector structure of the presentinvention is extremely simple and economical of construction while yetproviding facilitated installation and removal of the dirt collectingreceptacle from the vacuum cleaner as discussed above.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of thebroad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

Having described the invention, the embodiments of the invention inwhich an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined asfollows:

1. In a vacuum cleaner having an air flow means including a duct havingan outer end, and a dirt collecting receptacle, means for releasablyconnecting the dirt collecting receptacle to the outer end of the ductcomprising: means defining a first shoulder on said duct spaced fromsaid duct outer end; tubular connector means on said dirt collectingreceptacle removably fitted about said duct outer end to provide an airflow connection between said duct and receptacle; means carried by saidtubular connector means defining a lever having a first end normallydisposed in retained engagement with said first shoulder when saidtubular connector means is fitted to said duct outer end, and anopposite, manipulating end; and means defining a fulcrum adjacent themid-portion of the lever to arrange said lever as a first class lever,depression of said manipulating end of the lever causing swinging ofsaid first lever end free of engagement with said first shoulder topermit removal of said tubular connector means and dirt collectingreceptacle from said air flow duct as for disposal of collected dirttherefrom, said fulcrum being spaced relative to said first shoulder tocause a component of the force of depression of said lever manipulatingportion to be directed to urge said tubular connector means away fromthe fitted connection with said duct outer end.

2. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1 wherein said lever andfulcrum means are integral.

3. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1 wherein said lever andfulcrum means are integral with said tubular connector means.

4. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1 wherein said fulcrummeans is integral with said tubular connector means.

5. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1 wherein said fulcrummeans defines a rounded surface engaging said duct end.

6. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1 wherein said shouldermeans is integral with said duct end.

7. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1 further includingmeans defining a second shoulder on said duct spaced from said firstshoulder and adapted to be engaged by the tubular connector means tolimit the movement thereof onto the duct outer end to a position whereinsaid lever first end is disposed adjacent said first shoulder. I

8. In a vacuum cleaner having an air fiow means including a duct havingan outer end and a dirt collecting receptacle, means for releasablyconnecting the dirt collecting receptacle to the outer end of the ductcomprising: means defining a first shoulder on said duct spaced fromsaid duct outer end; tubular connector means on said dirt collectingreceptacle adapted to be removably fitted about said duct outer end toprovide an air flow connection between said duct and receptacle; meanscarried by said tubular connector means defining a lever having a firstend normally disposed in retained engagement with said first shoulderwhen said tubular connector means is fitted to said duct outer end, andan opposite, manipulating end; and means de fining a fulcrum adjacentthe mid-portion of the lever to arrange said lever as a first classlever, depression of said manipulating end of the lever causing swingingof said first end free of engagement with said first shoulder to permitremoval of said tubular connector means and dirt collecting receptaclefrom said air flow duct as for disposal of collected dirt therefrom,said lever and fulcrum means being formed unitarily integral with saidtubular connector means.

9. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 8 wherein said firstshoulder means is integral with said duct end.

10. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 8 wherein said tubularconnector means comprises a molded synthetic resin element, said leverand fulcrum means being molded integrally therewith.

11. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 8 wherein said dirtcollecting receptacle comprises a flexible bag attached to said tubularconnector.

12. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 8 wherein said vacuumcleaner comprises an upright vacuum cleaner.

13. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 8 further includingmeans defining a second shoulder on said duct spaced from said firstshoulder and adapted to be engaged by the tubular connector means tolimit the inward movement thereof onto the duct outer end to a positionwherein said lever first end is disposed adjacent said first shoulder.

1. In a vacuum cleaner having an air flow means including a duct havingan outer end, and a dirt collecting receptacle, means for releasablyconnecting the dirt collecting receptacle to the outer end of the ductcomprising: means defining a first shoulder on said duct spaced fromsaid duct outer end; tubular connector means on said dirt collectingreceptacle removably fitted about said duct outer end to provide an airflow connection between said duct and receptacle; means carried by saidtubular connector means defining a lever having a first end normallydisposed in retained engagement with said first shoulder when saidtubular connector means is fitted to said duct outer end, and anopposite, manipulating end; and means defining a fulcrum adjacent themid-portion of the lever to arrange said lever as a first class lever,depression of said manipulating end of the lever causing swinging ofsaid first lever end free of engagement with said first shoulder topermit removal of said tubular connector means and dirt collectingreceptacle from said air flow duct as for disposal of collected dirttherefrom, said fulcrum being spaced relative to said first shoulder tocause a component of the force of depression of said lever manipulatingportion to be directed to urge said tubular connector means away fromthe fitted connection with said duct outer end.
 1. In a vacuum cleanerhaving an air flow means including a duct having an outer end, and adirt collecting receptacle, means for releasably connecting the dirtcollecting receptacle to the outer end of the duct comprising: meansdefining a first shoulder on said duct spaced from said duct outer end;tubular connector means on said dirt collecting receptacle removablyfitted about said duct outer end to provide an air flow connectionbetween said duct and receptacle; means carried by said tubularconnector means defining a lever having a first end normally disposed inretained engagement with said first shoulder when said tubular connectormeans is fitted to said duct outer end, and an opposite, manipulatingend; and means defining a fulcrum adjacent the mid-portion of the leverto arrange said lever as a first class lever, depression of saidmanipulating end of the lever causing swinging of said first lever endfree of engagement with said first shoulder to permit removal of saidtubular connector means and dirt collecting receptacle from said airflow duct as for disposal of collected dirt therefrom, said fulcrumbeing spaced relative to said first shoulder to cause a component of theforce of depression of said lever manipulating portion to be directed tourge said tubular connector means away from the fitted connection withsaid duct outer end.
 2. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1wherein said lever and fulcrum means are integral.
 3. The vacuum cleanerconnecting means of claim 1 wherein said lever and fulcrum means areintegral with said tubular connector means.
 4. The vacuum cleanerconnecting means of claim 1 wherein said fulcrum means is integral withsaid tubular connector means.
 5. The vacuum cleaner connecting means ofclaim 1 wherein said fulcrum means defines a rounded surface engagingsaid duct end.
 6. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 1 whereinsaid shoulder means is integral with said duct end.
 7. The vacuumcleaner connecting means of claim 1 further including means defining asecond shoulder on said duct spaced from said first shoulder and adaptedto be engaged by the tubular connector means to limit the movementthereof onto the duct outer end to a position wherein said lever firstend is disposed adjacent said first shoulder.
 8. In a vacuum cleanerhaving an air flow means including a duct having an outer end and a dirtcollecting receptacle, means for releasably connecting the dirtcollecting receptacle to the outer end of the duct comprising: meansdefining a first shoulder on said duct spaced from said duct outer end;tubular connector means on said dirt collecting receptacle adapted to beremovably fitted about said duct outer end to provide an air flowconnection between said duct and receptacle; means carried by saidtubular connector means defining a lever having a first end normallydisposed in retained engagement with said first shoulder when saidtubular connector means is fitted to said duct outer end, and anopposite, manipulating end; and means defining a fulcrum adjacent themid-portion of the lever to arrange said lever as a first class lever,depression of said manipulating end of the lever causing swinging ofsaid first end free of engagement with said first shoulder to permitremoval of said tubular connector means and dirt collecting receptaclefrom said air flow duct as for disposal of collected dirt therefrom,said lever and fulcrum means being formed unitarily integral with saidtubular connector means.
 9. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim8 wherein said first shoulder means is integral with said duct end. 10.The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 8 wherein said tubularconnector means comprises a molded synthetic resin element, said leverand fulcrum means being molded integrally therewith.
 11. The vacuumcleaner connecting means of claim 8 wherein said dirt collectingreceptacle comprises a flexible bag attached to said tubular connector.12. The vacuum cleaner connecting means of claim 8 wherein said vacuumcleaner comprises an upright vacuum cleaner.